Greening Storm Water with Rain Gardens

Land-based sources of pollution - storm water runoff from roads, parking lots, industrial areas, farms and lawns that carries dirt, oil, bacteria, pesticides, fertilizers, and other toxic chemicals - is the biggest cause of pollution to Caribbean Area coastal waters. Every drop of rain that landowners can keep on their property helps to keep our coastal waters less polluted and preserve our delicate and valuable coral reef ecosystems.

To help capture stormwater, the NRCS St. Croix Field Office, in partnership with the St. Croix Environmental Association, Horsley Witten Group, Inc., the Virgin Islands RC&D Council, and the Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources installed four rain garden demonstrations in St. Croix, USVI to provide public education and outreach to the community on how individuals can help lessen storm water flooding and pollution problems in the territory.